Things to do with empty baby food jars
50+ Fantastic Ways to Re-Use Baby Food Jars
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50+ baby food jar crafts and creative ways to re-use baby food jars so you don’t have to put throw them in the trash.
If you’ve had a baby in recent years, there’s a good chance you’ve acquired quite a collection of baby food jars. Baby food jars ares so cute and chubby, and such a great size. If you’re like me, you find it hard to thrown them away. If that’s the case, your baby food jar collection could be growing at an alarming rate, and you’re probably looking for things to make with all of those jars.
Well, you’re in luck! One of my Facebook followers recently asked for ways that she could re-purpose her baby food jars, and the HH community responded with dozens of great crafts made with baby food jars along with practical ways to use baby food jars in and around the home.
I’ve gathered up their best suggestions and added a few of my own favourite uses for baby food jars, and I’ve come up with this long list of ideas for you.
From the craft room to the classroom to the bathroom and beyond, here are over 50 ways for you to use leftover baby food jars so you don’t have to toss them out.
50+ Baby Food Jar Crafts
Click on the links below to see project details.
Ways to use baby food jars in the classroom or craft room:
- Crayon Caddy: Paint several baby food jars and store co-ordinating, coloured crayons in them.
- Fill baby food jars with water, and set on the art table to rinse paint brushes in.
- Give each student in the class a baby food jar filled with cream, and make homemade butter together.
- Make a mini “ocean in a jar” in a baby food jar. Pretty on classroom window sill or fun to play with.
- Soak dried out markers in baby food jars to make liquid watercolour paint.
- Make and store homemade finger paint in baby food jars.
- Baby food jars make great paint and glue pots at the easel. Lids keep them from drying out between uses.
- Punch holes in the lids (with a nail) and use jars to store and dispense glitter.
- Make I-Spy Jars in baby food jars.
- Make collection jars for the preschool classroom.
- Fill with small amounts of water for syringe transfer work trays in preschool or kindergarten
- Paint tall baby food jars with food coloring, water and glue for a frosted look. Store pens, pencils and paintbrushes in them.
Things to make for kids with baby food jars:
- Play dough jars: fill several baby food jars with different colours of homemade play dough for a kids’ gift basket.
- Set some baby food jars out in the rain and make this scented rain paint.
- In the play kitchen: fill baby food jars with flour, rice, lentils etc. Glue the lids on, and kids can pretend-cook with them.
- Bug Jars – wrap a pipe cleaner handle around the top, and go exploring in the yard.
- Make these cute and quirky emoji jars for a kid’s dresser or desk.
- Glue painted toy animals on baby food jar lids, use as party favours.
- Fill with homemade slime or silly putty to put in loot bags.
- Make a tooth fairy jar.
- Teach kids how to manage their allowance with 3 tall baby food jars labeled SPEND, SAVE, BANK.
- Make an advent or countdown calendar.
- Fill baby food jars with layers of “coloured sand” (ground sidewalk chalk mixed with salt).
- Use baby food jars to make mini lava-lamps.
Ways to re-use baby food jars in the kitchen:
- Make magnetic spice jars to store on the refrigerator door
- Organize your spice drawer with baby food jars.
- Make Smore’s treats in baby food jars. Hand them out around the campfire or at a party.
- Make a window-sill herb garden with baby food jars.
- Fill baby food jars with condiments for camping or a bbq.
- Sterilize jars and lids, and reuse baby food jars for homemade baby food.
The serving sizes are perfect.
Gifts and party favours to make with baby food jars:
- Baby food jars make great wedding favours. Decorate and place at each table setting.
- These baby food jar lanterns were hung in a tree at an outdoor wedding.
- Make Lego Head Jars as party favours for a Lego party.
- Make mini calming jars for kids or co-workers
- Make a wish jars or dream jars for your family and friends.
- Give a gift of homemade bath salts or sugar scrub in a baby food jar.
- Make these cupcakes in a jar to give to teachers, neighbours and friends.
- Make a craft kit for a child by filling jars with pom poms, sequins, foam stickers, and beads.
- Hot Cocoa in a baby food jar: layer hot chocolate, shaved chocolate and mini marshmallows in a jar. Cover the lid with a swatch of fabric tied with a ribbon.
Other ways to use baby food jars around the home and garden:
- Store pony tail holders, Q-tips, and hair clips in baby food jars on the bathroom counter.
- Make a spill proof nail-polish remover kit with a baby food jar.
- Plant succulents in baby food jars to display on a porch or patio.
- Hang these colourful baby food luminaries from a tree in your yard.
- Baby food jars are great for storing seeds for the garden.
- Make Photo Globes by placing your child’s photo inside a baby food jar.
- Organize your spare change: each jar holds a different type of coin.
- Use baby food jars to hold paper clips, thumb tacks etc. on a desk or in a drawer in an office.
- Travel jewelry keeper for earrings and rings.
- A Mini sewing kit in a baby food jar is great for travel or the office.
- Fill baby food jars with Puffs, fishy crackers, Cheerios, nuts etc. Keep in the diaper bag for the kids.
- Nail the lids of baby food jars to the underside of a shelf to store screws, nails and craft supplies.
- Store several baby wipes in a baby food jar and keep in your purse or diaper bag.
Baby food jar Christmas crafts:
- Turn a baby food jar into a snowman Christmas tree ornament.
- Make festive holiday votive candle holders.
- Make sparkly tea light luminaries in baby food jars.
- Baby food jars make great miniature snow globes.
- Make Reindeer food for Christmas Eve.
What if you STILL have leftover baby food jars?
If you have more baby food jars than you could possibly ever use, even after reviewing all of the ideas, please consider giving your collection to a teacher, a crafter or a daycare provider. Most will be happy to put your little glass jars to good use.
Looking for more crafts to make with your recyclables? Check out:
Re-purposed Denim Craft Aprons
Re-purposed Denim Bibs
25 Creative Ways to Re-use your Keurig’s K-Cups
22 Ways to Re-Use Cardboard Tubes
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Jackie Currie
Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans.
She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
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Amazing Baby Food Jar Crafts
Published Last Updated / By Sarah Leave a Comment
Have a bunch of baby food jars that you want to repurpose? We’ve looked all over to find the best baby food jar crafts so you can reuse the jars to make fun and beautiful things!
If you have babies or toddlers, you are probably going through a lot of jars of baby food! Maybe you have so many that you can start your own baby food company! Instead of throwing them out, why not make things with them? Since we are always looking for new crafts to make, we decided to look for all the best baby food jar crafts!
Our Easy Bath Paint for Kids fits perfectly into little jars, and DIY Candles is one of our favorite crafts we’ve done recently.
Check out our crafts page for more inspiration!
Tips for Making Baby Food Jar Crafts
- When using glass jars, make sure you clean out the jar and lid thoroughly.
- Glass jars can be used in the oven if making a mini cake or pies in a jar just make sure you remove the labels.
- Do not, however, put jars in the freezer, they may burst.
Baby Food Jar Crafts
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Vases for Flowers
Photo by Beth Liebetrau for Apples & Onions
I love this set of paint dipped jars from Apples & Onions! They are the perfect little vases for those white tulips.
Try making a Wood Vase and Candle holder like Make Life Lovely did! It’s totally gorgeous.
Plant some kitchen herbs in your jars! Herbs look beautiful on kitchen counter and you’ll never have to run to the store for some fresh rosemary or mint!
Baby food jars can also be used for Planting Wheat Berries – I love this idea from See Jane Blog!
Party Favors
- My kids would go crazy for this Unicorn Slime by the Best Ideas for Kids
- How cute are these DIY Bubble Party Favors from Chickabug
- Crafts by Courtney made these perfect Minion Party Favors
- Butterfly Sippers by Stay-at-Home-ista are perfect for a birthday party and you could personalize them to any party theme!
Desserts in Jars
- We adore these Mini Cheesecakes.
They look elegant but they are so easy to make! - Gimme Some Oven shared these Mini Fruit Crisps and I can’t think of a more perfect summer party dessert!
- Make some Homemade Pumpkin Butter and give it to friends (or keep it all for yourself, I won’t tell!)
- I love these no-bake Mini Grasshopper Pies from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs
I love the idea of having Yogurt Parfaits in mini jars like they did over at Hilldale House. They would be perfect for a baby shower or a brunch party. We recommend having a Yogurt Toppings Bar to go along with little jars of yogurt!
As I mentioned you can bake with these jars, just remove the labels so it doesn’t burn. I love these Rainbow Mini Cakes by Make Life Lovely!
Organizing with Baby Food Jars
These mini pin cushions are from Seasoned Homemaker adorable.
Perfect use for your baby food jars AND fabric scraps!
This under the shelf storage from Craftiness is Not Optional is, well, crafty! I love to see ways to use space that would otherwise be wasted.
This color coded crayon organizer from Monkey See, Monkey Do is awesome!
More Useful Things
- These Gel Air Fresheners by Dream a Little Bigger are so cool! I had never thought of making my own.
- I love this Nail Polish Remover Jar by the genius One Good Thing by Jillee
- How cute are these Picture Magnets by Oh How Crafty
- These Mason Jar Oil Lamps from A Piece of Rainbow are gorgeous and you could totally make miniature versions with baby jars!
Kids Bath Paint
Easy three ingredient bath paints you can DIY in a few minutes.
Kids and toddlers will have a blast painting during bath time and they'll even get clean in the process!
SEE THE POST
Mini jars are the perfect size to make bath paint in and the best way to store it, too!
Holiday Crafts
These Halloween Pumpkin Jars from Make It – Love It are absolutely adorable. They can be decor or hold treats in them!
Valentines
I am impressed by these Turtle-y Awesome Valentines at Consumer Crafts. Clever and fun!
These Lego Valentines in Jars are genius. This idea could carry over for other holidays too! They’d make great Christmas gifts for friends or even be great for Easter!
Love these simple Valentines from So Festive!
Easter
We love these Easter Candy Jars by our friend Amber at Crazy Little Projects
These colorful Topiaries with Jelly Beans in them from Sugar Tot Designs make a fun decoration or Easter gift!
And these Bunny Jars from Making Life Lovely are so cute! All you need is paint and some white felt.
Baby Food Jar Christmas Crafts
Baby food jars are perfect for Christmas crafting because they are the perfect small size for DIY gifts! Try making some Christmas neighbor gifts or DIY ornaments with your little jars!
DIY Candles
How to make DIY candles in baby food jars with soy wax and essential oils. These candles make great Christmas neighbor gifts or party favors!
SEE THE POST
Making your own candles is easier than you think. We love these for neighbor gifts!
This Cranberry Body Scrub gift idea from Alicia Costa is so smart and I imagine it smells really good! I have this on my list of baby food jar Christmas crafts for this year. Watch the full tutorial on Youtube.
My kids would love decorating these Christmas Treat Jars from Amber at Crazy Little Projects.
These easy Mason Jar Lid Ornaments from Salvage Sister could easily be made with baby food lids!
This Luminary Advent Calendar from our friend Taryn Whitaker Designs is ALL THAT.
So classy and creative!
This snow globe made out of a jar by Craftaholics Anonymous is so awesome! You could make a bunch of these and give them out as neighbor gifts.
Upcycled Home Decor
I cannot get over this Chandelier by Mother Earth Living.
Or make these Dyed Glass Luminaries from Inspired by Familia – how great would they be out on the patio for summer?
How creative are these Foam Lighthouses from Crafts by Courtney? They would be perfect in a beach house or if you have a nautical vibe going on in your home decor!
That’s it! All of these crafts are really clever. I’m feeling very inspired. You will probably be seeing more baby food jar crafts here at Pretty Providence. Happy eating to babies everywhere!
Pro Tips
- When cleaning out the jars, make sure you remove the baby food labels while they’re wet.
It’s much easier to remove then. - Glass jars can be put in the oven, just make sure the labels are already removed.
- Do not put jars in the freezer, glass can break when frozen.
- Acrylic paint works best when painting glass.
Which baby food jar crafts are your favorite? If you make one, share your creations by tagging us on Instagram!
This post was originally published in August 2013 and has been updated with new ideas, photos, a video and more detailed information.
Reader Interactions
How to use empty baby food jars?
Are you a new mother? Then, probably, glass baby food jars appeared in your life, which the hand does not raise to throw away. There are already a lot of them in my house, so I propose to discuss how they can be useful to us.
I conducted a small survey of colleagues and friends on this topic. The results are as follows:
Lena keeps her branded adjika in jars - it is convenient to take it in such a container for a picnic, for example.
Stores dried berries for tea.
He also arranges small tasty gifts for his friends - homemade jam. Arranges in jars, decorates them and gives them.
The last idea caught my attention - I like to make homemade jam. I took note of such a sincere gift option.
Zhenya keeps medicinal ointments in jars. Also a great option, given the odor of such drugs, as well as their small volumes.
Anya uses the jars as a sugar bowl and salt shaker on long journeys. Or for a picnic. She also keeps beads for needlework in them.
I tried to use jars for leftover canned cod liver. And this, I tell you, is extremely convenient. Open canned food should not be stored for longer than a day, and it is imperative to transfer food to a container, preferably glass. And the baby food jars are perfect! Small, hermetically sealed (which is especially important in the case of products with the smell of fish), and then it is not a pity to throw them away.
I also put paper clips in one jar. There was an open package at home, now the paper clips are neatly stored in a jar.
Inspired by the opening horizons for the second life of jars, I began to look for other ways to use them. I searched websites and social networks. I confess, I am delighted with the fantasy of young mothers, and dads too!
How to use baby food jars
Use jar lids in children's educational games:
- stick pieces of colored paper on them and arrange them in containers by color,
- stick drawings with letters on them and add syllables and words,
- make a slot in the lid of the milk formula jar (or in a box of chips, for example) and put the lids into it, like in a piggy bank,
- make a fishing rod out of a pencil, string and magnet and arrange "fishing", collecting caps.
Use cans:
- for dipping the brush while painting with watercolors,
- for seedlings of flowers or greenery,
- as small vases for small wildflowers,
- for storing spices,
- as a home air fragrance: put a piece of cotton wool into a jar and moisten the cotton wool with a drop of perfume or essential oil.
If you decorate a jar - it’s not a shame to replace the sachet and put it in a prominent place in the house,
- for needlewomen - to store small items such as buttons, beads, etc. in jars,
- use as a portion dish in candy bars that are so popular now at children's parties,
- colorize and turn the jar into a candlestick by putting a pill candle into it,
I found candle-tablets. It's a sin not to try, I decided. I’m not friends with paints yet, I found a satin ribbon. Half a minute to tie it, and voila! Modest, but also an option.
But finally I was subdued by such decor of the can.
Using a jar as a photo frame is original, isn't it?
And also, I think, it may not even be interesting to search for the use of jars or lids, but the process of decorating itself. Space for imagination, yours and your child!
How to decorate jars
• Spray paint or decorate with acrylic or stained glass paint,
• Paste over the jar with double-sided tape and roll in sequins or beads,
• Use the decoupage technique (stick a beautiful napkin with a pattern on the jar), since there is an abundance of materials for needlework on sale now,
• Stick lace, ribbons, fabric on the jar,
• Paste clippings from magazines or newspapers - looks very interesting.
• Wrap the jar with threads or decorative straws.
And then, together with the child, figure out what to put in a beautiful jar.
There is only one “but” in the active use of cans for various needs. Given the presence of a baby in the house, do not forget to check their inaccessibility for his ubiquitous little hands. Glass is beautiful, reliable and environmentally friendly, but dangerous. So, subject to safety conditions, cheers for jars!
Can you share how you use baby food jars? Do you leave or throw away? Decorate or use as is? Join the discussion in our groups VKontakte , Facebook and Instagram!
16 ideas on what to do with jars of baby food
Tips for the hostess
Marusya has everything on schedule: milk formula in the morning, fragrant porridge for lunch, vegetable puree with meat for lunch, fruit puree and cottage cheese for afternoon tea, for dinner again mix.
In a matter of weeks, our apartment was filled with dozens of jars. First, we arranged the supply of glass and metal elements to a neighbor. She gratefully accepted each new package. But a month ago she said: “Basta!” Say, I can’t master so many blanks. I did not find a can collection point near the house, no matter how I searched. But I found 17 ways to do with these banks.
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- GettyImages
Baby Sorter
This toy is perfect for a toddler to develop his logic skills. The bottom line is to lay out items in jars with suitable holes in the lid. The plastic top lid of a metal can of infant formula cuts perfectly. Accordingly, in it you can easily make a hole of the desired shape for various little things. The jar can be glued with beautiful paper, braided with ribbon or painted with paints, close the lid - and a great sorter is ready to use.
Children's thimbles
The game "thimbles" was invented for adults, in fact, usually there are no winners in it. But we will make children's thimbles with you, in which the rules are completely different. Tape or paint several baby formula jars in different colors. For example, in classic red, yellow and green. Take any toy that will fit into the hole and is not too heavy to move around.
Hide the toy under one of the jars, move it around the table several times and invite the child to guess where the surprise is. At first, let the child simply point to a specific jar, and then name the colors.
Bird feeder
Poke a round hole in the lid of the infant formula jar to allow a small bird to enter. On the side, make two holes, pass a rope through them and hang on a branch. Pour in food, close the lid and wait for the birds.
All-weather feeder, perfect for titmouse in winter. By the way, each jar can be painted in an original way and involve the baby in this business.
Box
Here beautiful paper, fabric, decorative stones, sequins will help you - everything that your imagination allows. We decorate the baby formula jar to our taste and conveniently store all kinds of little things that are abundant in any family: buttons, pins, hooks, beads, etc. Needlewomen can even knit a beautiful case for jars.
Magic Lamp
Use a screwdriver to punch holes in the sides of the baby formula jars - a specific pattern, or names, or a heart - whatever you want. Place a candle-tablet inside the jar. Important: in this case, the jar should never be closed with a lid!
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- GettyImages
Pepper and salt shaker
Take two glass baby puree jars. Poke small holes in the lids. On the side of the jars stick labels "salt" or "pepper". Add seasonings and enjoy.
Gift box for homemade jam
How to make a little surprise for friends? Prepare for them jars for homemade jam. You will need glass containers for baby puree, beautiful fabric, beautiful labels and sweets made by yourself.
Towel & Tissue Organizer
You will need several baby formula cans, a piece of plywood or a plastic tray, or even heavy cardboard. Paint all the details in the same color scheme or cover with self-adhesive wallpaper. Use a glue gun to attach the jars to the plywood base. Fix the base on the wall - you will get cells in which it is convenient to store hand towels or napkins for the kitchen.
Wine rack
Carefully remove the bottom of infant formula jars. Sand with sandpaper so you don't cut yourself. Glue six jars together in a pyramid shape - three-two-one. Now you can store bottles in a prone position in each cell.
Pouch storage
Cut a rectangular hole in the plastic lid of the infant formula can.
Place plastic bags in a jar. It will be convenient to pull out one piece through the hole. For beauty, the jar can be painted, pasted over, braided with ribbon or thread.
- Photo
- GettyImages
Advent Calendar
You will need 31 baby formula jars. Paint them white and number them. Every day the kid will open a new cell, receive a small gift or a task for the day. The lid can be decorated with sparkles, pasted over with a fabric with New Year's motifs, or simply with cotton wool that will imitate snow.
Lamp
This time you need glass baby puree jars. Tie each of them with twine at the base of the neck. The walls can be decorated with rhinestones or painting. Insert a candle-tablet inside. Tie several cans together - the original street lamp is ready.
Place for screws
You will need a piece of plywood or a small board and glass puree jars.
Make holes in the lids and use self-tapping screws to attach the lids to the base. Now everything is simple - hang the plywood or board in a convenient place, fill the jars with bolts, screw the jars to the lids and use. The organizer is very convenient for small things, because thanks to the glass you can see all the contents.
- Photo
- GettyImages
Candlestick
You will need glass puree jars, fantasy and tablet candles. With the help of fantasy, paints, glue, beads, sparkles and anything else, decorate the jars by removing the labels from them first. Inside - a candle, and everything is ready. And remember, there are never too many candlesticks!
Lemonade
Poke a hole in the lids of the puree jars for a straw. Fill jars with lemonade, garnish with mint or lemon leaves. Screw on the lids and insert the tubes.
